


A More Perfect Union

by fangirl_outlet



Series: Reylo oneshots [3]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, DC means suits and booze and politics, Enemies to Lovers, F/M, Mother and Son, but small scale, lobbyist ben solo, nothing stronger than that, rey takes no shit
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-14
Updated: 2020-02-14
Packaged: 2021-02-28 06:41:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,057
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22689415
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fangirl_outlet/pseuds/fangirl_outlet
Summary: Rey, new to DC, tags along to a stuffy networking event with her friend -- they're both poor and, hell, there's free booze. Ben, a recruiter for the lobbyist firm he works for, finds the intern with the soft voice and angry eyes a fun challenge -- especially when he finds out she works for his estranged mother Senator Leia Organa.
Relationships: Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Series: Reylo oneshots [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1633939
Comments: 13
Kudos: 52
Collections: For one is both and both are one in love: The Reylo Fanfiction Anthology's Valentine's Day Exchange





	A More Perfect Union

**Author's Note:**

  * For [america_oreosandkitkats](https://archiveofourown.org/users/america_oreosandkitkats/gifts).



Ben swirled the rapidly dwindling sphere of ice around in his glass slowly. Somewhere something inside chided him, noon was a bit too early in the day for a double Old Fashioned. But the one redeeming quality of this town, particularly this crowded pub of Hill rats, was that the bar for day drinking was entirely too low. Especially when every drop of this overpriced cocktail was on the company dime. 

He leaned against the back railing of the bar, pushing back his hair with one hand before downing the rest of his drink. 

Yes, day drinking was one of the better activities this swamp of a city had to offer, but this — _networking_ — was not on that very short list.

To much of the uninitiated, these types of events were always a chance for a bit of excitement between the paper pushing and the phone ringing and the pavement pounding. Free booze, free food, both of which these underpaid interns and staffers were in desperate need of, and a chance to rub elbows with someone to help them climb the ladder. A paradise for the narcissists and naive this town needed to function. 

And too many had already failed the first test, showing up as the _casual_ of business casual in khaki pants, rolled up sleeves, sundresses, and _denim jeans_. Light wash. Not even a dark rinse.

Ben himself wore a dark charcoal knit suit, with a crisp white collared shirt that popped against the thin violet tie just barely brushing against his belt buckle. He knew it was on the fancier end all things considered — but he admittedly liked the panic in their eyes when they realized they were underdressed next to the man who they were hoping would take their flimsy unglossed business cards. 

So in all, as he scanned the crowd of 20 somethings, Ben was underwhelmed with the turnout of potential and wondered for the dozenth time since the team meeting this morning why, of all people, Snoke chose him to recruit today over Hux. It wasn’t like Ben, with his sharp angles and too tall frame, was any more of a people person than his ginger haired colleague with a perpetually pinched face. 

But then something interesting caught his eye. 

In a sea of egos strutting around the oak backroom of the bar, was a girl with wide bright eyes taking small steps towards a high tabletop in the center of the floor. Her satin oversized blazer did nothing to hide her long shapely legs draped in a more fitted style — features Ben quickly moved away from to focus on the top tiny button of her teal collared shirt. Her friend, a small Asian girl with jet black hair, raised two of her fingers in a peace sign, making sure the girl nodded her assurance, before moving away to mingle in the crowd. 

_A buddy system. Smart girl._

Ben ordered another drink while he watched her for a few more minutes, curious to see if she’d make a play or wait against the wall. She sipped slowly from her white wine, smoothing out the thin folder she brought with her. Meticulously detailed resumés no doubt. At least she came prepared, rather than relying on the slim chance a first impression would be enough to be remembered in this place. 

As the bartender slipped another round into his hand, Ben pushed away from the bar and made his way over to her. 

“You know the point of these things is to talk to people.” He couldn’t help but smirk at how her eyes widened ever so slightly as his outstretched hand made the interaction unavoidable. “Ben Solo.” 

“I’m Rey Johnson,” she responded, the sweet lilt of her voice sending an unexpected shiver down his spine. _Maybe it was too early for hard liquor._ “Appreciate the tip. Although maybe my strategy was to get someone interesting to come to me.”

“Anyone in particular?” 

She shrugged and her eyes flitted over to his name tag, only sparsely filled out: _Ben Solo, consultant._

“Not really, looking to keep my option open. Plus, you can never have too many friends in this town. Or I guess that’s what I’m learning,” she said, before sipping at her wine. “I just moved here six months ago. I’m starting a public policy graduate program over at Georgetown.”

“Ah, good school. Shitty library,” he mused. “So what drove you to this particular level of hell? Events with free booze and required small talk?”

“The visa process actually. And the citizenship application after that. I wasn’t born here you see.”

“The accent kinda gave that away,” he deadpanned. 

This Rey girl was interesting, Ben decided. She spent most of her undergraduate working as a mechanic while getting an engineering degree. Then traveled with the same nonprofit group for two years around the world on peacebuilding missions. And finally deciding to move out to the city from a small town in his home state he’d never be able to pick out on a map to start school before she even found a paying job. Now she’s balancing _three_ part time campus jobs plus a gig on the Hill while she attends classes. 

“Sounds like you could use something more permanent. I might know of a few positions you’d fit right into.” 

She shot him a coy look. “You never said -- who do you work for? Consulting is one of those intentionally vague job titles around here, could mean anything.” 

“First Order. We’re a lobbyist group on K street covering a wide range of issues, depending on what you’re interested in. Personally, my profile of issues is pretty diverse so I tend to hop around here and there.”

The sunshine smile was gone. Replaced instead by a barely repressed scowl.

“Ah. I see,” her voice clipped around each word. “I’m terribly sorry to have wasted your time Mr. Solo, but I don’t think your company would be a very good fit for me.” 

“Why’s that?” 

“I have a conscience that can’t be bought off with dark money and stupid dimples.”

And with that she turned suddenly on her heel and stormed away to meet her friend, leaving her folder of resumes behind. Smarting slightly from her flare-up, Ben slid one glossy sheet out and skimmed it, finding his answer on the very first line. 

_Current position: Intern, Washington, D.C. Office of Senator Leia Organa_

“Well, shit.” Ben downed the glass. 

***** 

“I swear if you do not drink that damn margarita and waste a perfectly good happy hour deal I will disown you.”

Rey, her chin resting on the hard countertop of the booth, looked dejectedly up at her friend Finn. They had suffered a terrible blow today -- the first in her three months in the Senator's office. It was a privacy bill cracking down on how fancy faceless companies sell data, a key achievement Leia needed under her belt before the election’s next year, and it _should_ have been a bipartisan slam dunk. Rey personally double checked all fifteen Republicans she and Finn got to cosponsor were still onboard this morning. But then the debate came, and the coalition -- senators from _both_ parties -- stayed seated. Rey couldn’t explain it. 

But while Rey was twirling her straw around her strawberry marg, Finn was on number three. 

“I just wish we knew what happened,” she grumbled. “Shit like that doesn’t just happen.” 

Their waitress, a petite blonde named Kaydel, came up and slid a dark drink in front of Rey. She crinkled her nose at the smell of high end bourbon. 

“Sorry, I didn’t order this.” 

The waitress nodded her head over her right shoulder towards the bar. “A gift. Said to tell you that you looked like you could use something stronger than -- and I quote -- ‘a pink flamingo drink.” She lowered her voice considerably. “Hot as hell, but a bit of an asshole. Navy suit.”

Rey and Finn poked their heads around either side of Kaydel and sure enough there he was. Stretched out against the bar with a similar drink in his hand. A mop of dark curly waves framed his dark features and sharp jawline. Rey pointedly tried to ignore the tight fit of his navy slacks and the way the buttons of the matching vest seemed under a bit too much stress -- no, instead she tried to zero in on the First Order security badge dangling off of his jacket. He winked at her from around the rim of his cup. 

“Ben Solo?”

“You know him?” Finn asked, sipping his drink unabashedly. "I didn't know you knew the senator's son."

Rey was already pushing herself up and out of the booth. “Son? He's that asshole lobbyist at the networking event you ditched Rose and I for.” She grabbed her drink and stalked across the bar, tossing over her shoulder. “This won’t take long.” 

His eyes, big and brown and dark, tracked her as she made her way through the crowd to him. His lips -- redder than she remembered from the first time they met -- ghosted slightly upwards on one end. Her eyes followed his hands -- how _large_ could they be -- as they reached up to loosen his tie. She chalked up the heat pooling low in her belly up to deep, unadulterated loathing. 

_Remember Rey, punching lobbyists in a public place is not appropriate._

“Care to explain?” She asked, lifting the glass. 

“Ah,” he sipped his own slowly. “Well after that dumpster fire regulation package you called a bill crashed and burned today, I figured it’d only be polite to offer my condolences.”

“You _asshole_!” Rey blurted out, a little too loud even in the crowded bar. “You killed my bill? How the hell is that even possible? Why would you do it? You said you did Homeland Security?” 

Ben reclined back on the bar, chuckling at her outburst. 

“It’s nothing personal,” he said. “Not towards you anyway. But it’s an election year, Rey. I have clients that need to have things, shall we say, set up a certain way before they launch their campaigns.”

Ben shrugged and leaned in, his deep voice lowering. “As for how I did it? A bit of advice Rey, it doesn’t matter what letter is next to their name. Something like this? They’ll easily use it as an election issue if the right sized campaign donation comes along. 

“So you killed a bill that would have had an unprecedented amount of bipartisan support and actually, oh I don’t know, make Americans feel safer going online? People have a right to privacy and you, Ben Solo, fucked that right up for them.”

“Yes, because your bill was so revolutionary and not just a slap on the wrist. Fines and studies? Please,” he scoffed. “Don’t ever run for office.”

“Leia believed in it. It was a compromise. A foundation to build something on.”

That’s when his face lost all its humor -- the hard edges of his face set firm. “Leia Organa only cares about getting reelected. How do you think she’s held on to her seat for so long? She’s no different than any other Senator. Sorry to break it to you sweetheart.”

Rey rolled her eyes with a huff and stalked away. 

“Stay out of my way next time Solo.” 

******

_Ben..._

Rey hated the way her breathy sighs still rung in her ears. She hated the way she couldn't stop picturing Ben's bare torso, an expansive landscape of hills and valleys, trembling beneath her tongue when he was sprawled out on her too-small bed last night. And she definitely, definitely hated the way she could still feel him in every part of her body -- hands wound tight in her hair, thick tighs trapping her own, soft lips sucking at the swell of her breasts, and...Rey shook off the image. 

She knew it was a bad idea when it happened the first time. Nine months after their first meeting at that stupid networking events, after she finally, _finally_ circumvented his deep pockets and somehow never-ending connections to the backdoors in the Capitol she didn't even know existed, a waitress slid Ben a pink frozen strawberry margarita. Rey was less subtle with her gloating, practically laughing in his face as he chugged the sugary drink. But then the tequila shots came and then the bottle of wine at his place, where it was dark and warm and Ben looked good in a sweater. And then her lips were on his and his pants came off and her dress and after a frustratingly long amount of time assuring him that, yes, she wanted this even if he was a soulless sellout...Rey woke up in a strange bed with a glass of water and a snoring Ben beside her. 

Then it just became..a thing. Victor bought drinks. Loser snuck out early the next morning. 

"Rey." Finn's voice was so low, she almost couldn't hear it over the test speakers in the gymnasium. "Did you get a chance to proof the senator's speech? I need to load it into the teleprompter before Rose does the full test run. If I am more than 30 seconds late with it, that girl will dump my sorry ass." He sighed as Rey handed over the papers. "Go on the campaign trail with your girlfriend, they said. It'll be nice to have company, they said. Well, they didn't mention that having a kick off speech and a debate back to back in less than 24 hours after we fly across country, now did they." 

Rey stretched out the sore muscles in her back, grateful to have the California sun peeking through the high rise windows. It was quieter out here in the suburbs outside Sacramento than in D.C. Greener too. And after more than year working for Leia, Rey excited to see her in action in her element here on the ground, as a campaign manager no less. 

She spotted the senator across the hall. Leia was walking slower these days, talking a bit softer, and Rey hoped no one else could notice the pale skin and dark circles that were forming under her eyes. Rey picked up the small bag to her left, the one where she kept Leia's medicine hidden away from the prying eyes of the press and more loose-lipped staff members, and trotted over to the senator.

"Thank you dear," Leia's voice still had a bit of a tremor to it, but she never hesitated and plopped the two pills into her mouth. 

Both were startled when the doors behind them opened and closed with an unceremonious slam but absolutely floored to see Ben Solo walking through. And he wasn't alone. 

With him, was an older man with coiffed grey hair dressed a tight black suit -- Gregory Ren. He was an up incoming junior Democrat in the state senate, gearing up to take on Leia in a primary challenge. 

"So the rumors are true," Rey's tone was icy. "You sold out your own mother to her competition." 

Ben, the one who she'd come to know across drinks and secret cuddles and heated sparring, was nothing like she had seen before. His eyes were downcast, tie rumpled and hands deep in his pockets. 

They left Leia and Ren to whatever politicians do before debates to get in each other's head, and Ben pulled her into a dark corner of the hall. 

"Ben if you think anything is going to happen _here---"_

"Shut up, Rey. Listen to me." He pressed a small usb into her hand. "You guys need to get out in front of this. The public can't know before she tells them. It will ruin everything." 

_Shit_. They knew. Somehow, a leak got to the First Order and down to the campaign they had their top dog spearheading. 

"Ben, they're going to know where this came from. Your career is going to be over." 

"It doesn't matter, Rey." He ran a trembling hand through his hair. "They're not going to do this to my mother. They're going to tell the world she's sick, not after...Look it doesn't matter. It'll kill her."

Rey reached out and held his hand, and they stood there, huddled in the dark corner, watching Leia from across the room. 

****** 

Ben sat on the edge of his bed, fiddling with his cufflinks. He traced the small golden eagle on the pins, allowing himself to think, even for this moment, about his father. About how his father would feel about the step he was about to take. About how his father would feel about his son finally doing a damn thing. 

Rey was still in the shower, humming some song he made a mental note to look up and add to their playlist later. It gave Ben some time to read over his speech, just one last time. 

He reached for his laptop, careful not to wrinkle his light grey suit — a vintage sheer sucker he found in his dad’s closet — and opened up the document he finally forced himself to stop tinkering with at 2 am. Most of the speech was fine, but he just hoped the opening was right. 

_I used to think my mother’s greatest love, her greatest passion was politics. The arguing, the speeches. And it took me a while to get it -- because, honestly, I was a bit jealous of how much time she spent crafting bills and holding townhalls and everything she did that made her a great Senator -- but she didn’t love the politics. She loved the place. She loved all of you. She loved the home she made for me._

_My mother had a plaque in her office that I used to stare at every day when I was younger. It was the preamble of the Constitution. Her very first campaign slogan came from that: “A more perfect union.” That was always her goal. To remind ourselves of what it means to love this country, even when that love is hard and you have to fight for it and it means loving people when you don’t want to._

_Seeing her fight for it, even in the last days of her life...it’s my goal too now._

_My name is Ben Solo, and I am running to be your servant in the United States Senate._


End file.
